Thought I'd start a new thread, the old C4 one was getting too long and only the last page had any decent reviews anyhow.

Was at the pond today, flew from about 1 to 230. Looking at the garden island charts was in the red when I started to 16 odd knots at the end. There was a core, razor and Vegas rider out there well, if you read this maybe you can shed some more on the wind strength. Hey the dude on the core was going hard man, well done, but remind me not to buy your kites when ya done. Ouch!

I'm looking for a kite that will have me powered in mmm 12 to 16 knots. Below this not interested. At 74 kg, was thinking of this kite as an option. Edges at that size really become a race kite and all the freeride capability comes out of them.

Well this kite has given me something to really consider. Never did I feel the kite was too slow. Had it on the freeride settings as I'm to old and gay to crank out all those wake style crazy stuff. Plus I'm hooked in as the dyna bar is a pain in the ass to unhook and get back in. But I have it on good advice it unhooked just fine.

The bar pressure is higher than 2012, but even on the 15m it is not heavy. Infact I felt it was just right. I don't think I've flown a kite that tells you so well where the kite is when looping. I only do basic back roll with back loops, forward roll loop transitions, down loops when jumping and the occasional more horizontal type loop but nothing to cheer about. But I knew where the kite was at all times, and it did drive your around really well. As I said I never felt it was too slow even at that size. It is a very nimble kite.

As said in another post, I to want to hear from those that will ride it to its maximum potential and what it was built for, so all of this is really for the free riders out there. That being said, it is easy to extrapolate this kite would be unreal for that kind of shannanigans.

The good news for me was, I still rate this highly as a freeride kite. Now some crew might find this heartening, others may not, but I felt this kite would work very well at the freeride thingy. It boosted really nicely, easy to send, and easy to land. Never did I have to down loop it for a soft landing although of course I did as I like to keep in practise when I touch the clouds on the edges.

Kept wanting to get that apparent wind build up, edge spoilt, but that being said it did hunt the edge of the window enough, but still stayed a little back to keep that grunt and power. I would assume on the wake setting it would sit even further back, but for us free riders don't be put off, this kite still flies forward when you need it.

Still can't believe I was on a 15 actually, I have never looped a kite that is so .....um direct. You know where it is all the time and get it around and it picks you up nicely to land.

Most the other stuff is covered on the other topic and post, those guys describe it well.

But the best thing I got out of this is this will still be a great freeride kite, with a bit more punch. Probably better than 2012 as I found it lacked some spark sometimes. But then again was only on it for a short time.

Also on the mako kind I was going upwind in the lighter part of the day when I started. When it kicked in I was on he monk, and never did I feel like I had too much power. Then again the monk can hold just about anything if you know what you are doing. Didn't touch the depower strap and remember two things, I have my back lines shortened at the bar end by quite a margin and I'm only 74kg. I reckon I could hold this to 18 to 20 knots before I would be forced to bring it in. Then the 11m edge will be in its element...well a few more wouldn't hurt.

Yep got that ozone feel, smooth and graceful, but this C4 has a lot under the hood.

WA crew get your ass down to west oz and demo this kite and do all your back handle pass hokey pokey stick the tongue out sh1t will ya, and let the crew that are pushing this sport know wha it can do.

Yeh some good stuff by the crew I mentioned above, rather watch it that do it though! Ouch!

Seriously different to last years and previous C4's though and not everyone will like them. This year Ozone have refined their kites and designed them very carefully for the style and purpose that each model represents. So the C4, based on feedback from customers and team riders from all over the world, passed on to Ozone particularly by Torrin Bright, has been built to excel as a wake and freestyle kite.

While I can no longer kite like I wish I could, I spend a lot of time kiting and hanging out with some of the best in all areas of kite style, so have a fair idea of what suits which style.

This years C4 is the best yet, previous models were a bit too "all round", and while I loved them I knew they were not really what wake/freestyle riders wanted and needed.

Straight of the bag in 14/16 knots the kite felt detuned (on the beach), so I landed the kite and shortened the rear lines with the knots under the floats, took 10 seconds and then relaunched. Immediately the kite felt right, much more grunt and just off stalling when the bar pulled all the way in (same as unhooked).

The 45cm bar feels small, but also feels like the right size. On the water the immediate thing you notice is the bar pressure is higher and the kite is very grunty. I had tons of power the whole time I rode and the wind ranged from 14/16 to 18/19, and I was on an Axis vanguard 1.32 board.

Tried unhooking, but rope only dynabar sucks for that and hooking back in required a stop in the water to find the hook and put the extra large loop in by hand. Unhooked felt solid and powerful, no hint of stalling and turning was sharp with plenty of grunt in the turn. Kite was super easy to redirect and steer with the 45cm bar, pop was excellent and so were the jumps. Definitely need to fly the kite like an old school c kite to get the best out of it. Depowers quickly when hooked in, great for dumping power in carves and big moves, landings etc.

The 12M is quick and feels smaller than it is but it has 12M power and grunt, more than any other previous model of C4, turns are not pivotal, but still tight enough for everything I could throw at it, got some really large boosts for the wind that was available, just by holding my edge hard and turning the kite back hard, once in the air redirecting or looping was easy and easy to feel where the kite was. Bar pressure is the highest I've felt on an Ozone kite, but not excessive, it was combined with a very direct feel that was somehow just right. Had the most fun from a 1 hr kite session in ages.

Prediction, people that like true wake/freestyle will love this kite. People that don't like it, should try the 2013 Cat, as that feels more like last years C4, than this beasty.

Notable design differences, noticeable slightly lower AR, very short bridle that no longer meets in the middle of the kite, it is clearly 2 separate bridles. Bridles are still adjustable for a more grunty, less reactive setting more suited to unhooked riding and the more reactive more depowerable setting that I rode today. The bridles are so short they cannot wrap on any part of the kite. Kite twists at the centre more than I remember on last years kite.

Looking forward to reading some reviews from riders that can push this kite the way it was designed!!

Learnt on Ozones and have been riding nearly nothing but for last 4 seasons. All on cats or the predecessors'. I'd been wanting to try something different for a little while. I kept reading that the cats are good learner/surf kites but not to exciting compared to other models. For a long time I didn't give a **** as they do everything I want fine and with little else to reference to, I never thought gee I wish it did this or that better, so why change?

I ride 99% flat water, like small kites, going fast and high, big carving turns and not a lot else. No flicky spinny etc so why buy the C4? Jas at West Oz knows what I like and reckoned I'd enjoy it.

First up, I did demo the new 10m cat and apart from being faster than my old 10m, it didn't excite or feel terribly different. Certainly not a revolution from boring learner kite (never seen them this way myself) to something much different. I demoed an edge and the glide is mental and it was very user friendly with lots more depower and smoothness than I expected. When the 2011 one came out and I saw the vids of that Tamatoa fella going bigger and further than anything I'd ever seen I thought I'd be converting to them for sure....but I didn't find it exciting the rest of the time, slower turning, less smooth in gusts etc. The boost is gentler on an edge I thought, and for perspective, being ripped off the water in 35 knots on my little 6m is my idea of awesomeness in kiting-big wind small kites is what its all about.

After all that I ordered a new 9m C4, not wanting to wait for a demo as they were selling as fast as they came in. Brave or stupid? Whichever, thats what I did and the day before I pick it up, I read Steves review-high bar pressure AAARRGGHHH! My least favourite thing. I like to stay out for long sessions and I'm not keen on tennis elbow. I pick it up and while I'm sure they cant do it all the time, so don't expect it, Jas says if I hate it bring it back and he'll keep it for a demo as they haven't cracked one yet....they had my money so what can you say about that? So less nervous now I lovingly unwrap and hit the water. I swapped the bridle to free ride and moved the rear lines to lowest bar pressure after reading Steves review. The Cats we have all shipped on medium pressure and I've never felt the urge to move it.

I can tell you on this setting the pressure it lighter than my Cats, much so. The wind yesterday was moderately gusty and not especially strong but within 15 minutes I knew there was no chance I was giving this thing back. So smooth and stable no matter how rough my flying, actions that would have the cat fluttering and surging were totally smooth. Boosting technique needed some change. Seemed to work best with more aggresive sending of kite. Lift was more rapid and glide better than cat. Power in turns/downloops smooth and strong and turning was FAST. Found I needed to give it a more aggressive whip around to get moving but once going, awesome-much like the difference with smaller kites. I could fly it straight at the water and successfully turn it back up very late, small bar on this 9m suits me fine. I tried to unsettle it by riding straight at it and it didn't get one bit upset. I liked the way it felt more and more the longer I rode it. For a freerider the big chicken loop may not serve any purpose but I've been toying with trying some unhooked shiz soon so maybe it'll be usefull but if I don't, who cares, didn't notice it.

Did manage to crash a couple of times and relaunch was simple. Did notice a little more reluctance compared to cat when I dropped it in a wind shadow close to shore, but the cats are so completely easy to relaunch, it'd be hard to be as good.

So sum it up-perfect for me. I hadn't slept for over 24 hours (work) when I picked it up and ended up staying out for over 2 hours. I think it sits nicely somewhere around the middle of the ozone range and while I'm sure I'd be happy on the new cat, I'm equally sure I'll be a little more happy on the C4. I'll still be using the cats so will get a better reference point after a few more sessions. I share kites with my Mrs so if she likes the C4, I may start replacing oldest cats with them as time goes by...

I do wonder what performance changes/losses i'll suffer by having on lightest bar pressure setting as it seems to good to be true? Would also love to hear what different techniques others might recommend for relaunch in marginal conditions?

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